River City Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~ (Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai ~All-Star Special~ in Japan) is a game developed and published by Arc System Works in Japan on March 5, 2015 and it was published by H2 Interactive Co., Ltd. The game is an enhanced remake of Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai.

Contents

Development

Story

After Kunio and Riki thwarted Yamada's plans, Todo Mamoru apologized for what happened and decided to host a sporting competition where students can compete fair and square. However, this is a cover for his ploy so Reihou High School can reign supreme over other high schools.

Gameplay

Events

The game has 4 different events that players compete in: Yumemicho Cross Country, Obstacle Relay, Camphor Ball, and Battle Royal.

Yumemicho Cross Country: The event has players running through different sections of the race to reach the goal. Points can be achieved by completing a section before anyone else, hitting opponents, and crossing the finish line. However, players can lose points based on how much time they stay in a section. Any player that loses their energy will be disqualified for the round.

Obstacle Relay: The objective and rules are similar to Yumemicho Cross Country, but there are obstacles (i.e. Conveyor belts, slippery ice rooms, etc.) that the player must navigate through to the end. (Even though the title says relay, it is not a relay race.)

Camphor Ball: Players are divided in teams of two to break the giant ball with a preset amount of HP by climbing the pole(s) to the top and punching the ball. The character that punches the ball will be awarded points based on how much damage is being dealt with. The one punch that breaks the ball will be awarded with a bonus. In the end the amount points determines the end round rewards.

Battle Royal: This event is a fight to the finish where players use their special abilities and whatever weapons they can get their hands on to be the last person standing in the arena. In some variations of the arena, it's possible to throw opponents out of it.

Award Ceremony

Most Aggressive Player: Awarded to the player with the second highest score overall.

Distinguished Service Award: Awarded to players who are 2nd to 4th player in points are not part of the team awarded with Most Valuable Player.

Most Technical Player: Given to players that show excellent skills. For Cross Country and Obstacle course it will be awarded to the fastest players to reach the goal. For Camphor Ball it will be awarded to the player with the highest score (it is not given to the character who punched the ball last unless they had the highest score). For Battle Royal, it is given to the character who scored the most points.

Most Valuable Player: Awarded to the player with the highest score overall.

Most Carried Player: Awarded to players that weren't used in any events or were used but have the lowest points.

Reihou Award: Awarded to the team captain that has the most points.

Todo Group Special Award: This award is randomly awarded and has no known requirements.

Underdog Award: Awarded to the player who is penultimate in points.

Most Inspirational Award: Awarded to the player who has the same points as the Most Valuable Player, but in reverse order.

Straight Numbers Score Award: Awarded to players who have straight numbers in points.

Hot Blood Tough Guy: Awarded to the player who scores exactly 920 points.

Teams

Nekketsu High School, Hanazono High School, Reihou Academy and School Union are the only teams available at the beginning of the game for Free Battle and Online Play. The rest of the teams are unlocked for Free Battle by playing Single Play. To unlock characters for Create and Team Registration, players have to win Single Play matches on Easy and Normal difficulty (the former will unlock the last four members of each team except the 4 default teams and the latter will the characters of the four default teams as well as the captain and vice captain each unlockable team).

The Outlaw team is unlocked by performing a button code on the mode select screen: Down, Up, Right, Up, Left, Up, Start (M in the PC version of the game). Provided the player has an internet connection, you will hear Kunio's famous quote (which is heard prior to the title screen and when the player continues after losing the game), the team will be unlocked for Free Play, Online Battle and Team Registration.

More characters can be unlocked by meeting certain requirements in Single Play and Free Battle. These requirements are shown on the character section in Options. The character of Aviles is unlocked by winning a Free Battle game as the Osoreyama High School Team (the game erroneously lists the Kagemura High School team). To unlock characters that require winning a Free Play game, players should use the default settings though the music can be changed. Characters that are unlocked in Free Battle can only be unlocked when a single player plays against the CPU.

The captain of each team is listed first, followed by the vice captain. Each captain receives a +2 bonus to their stats (except for Vitality) while the vice captain gets a +1 bonus (these numbers are shown in parenthesis below in the character stats).

A team led and carried by Kunio, the only 3rd year student on the team. Sugata and Nanase are above average characters that can supplement Kunio, both are 2nd year students. The remaining members of the team are 1st year students that specialize in different stats. Takamine is a fighter, Morimoto specializes in weapon throwing and Ichijou is good at running and swimming. The team's manager and cheerleader is Momozono, a 2nd year student and friend of Sugata.

Mach Kick: Three rapid kicks in quick succession, performed by pressing the kick button. Can be performed while running, jumping and during a running jump. If a character has this move they cannot perform a normal jump kick. This move can only be used in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Nuts Shot: Kunio's trademark dodge ball shot. Any object in Kunio's hand is thrown downwards at an angle and at high speeds, sending the opponent flying if hit. This moves requires a running start, then the player jumps and presses the kick button to throw the weapon they are carrying. This move can be used in all events.

Bomb Punch: Sugata's trademark move, performed by landing from a jump and pressing the punch button. A flying punch that sends opponents flying when hit. The move can be performed in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Burst Shot: This move is performed by running and pressing the kick button with an equipped weapon. The object is thrown in a straight line at high speed and if it hits an opponent, the item will explode and damage nearby opponents as well. The thrown weapon is disintegrated upon hitting another character. This move can be used in all events.

Double Chop: This attack replaces a jumping punch. The character will attack with both of his hands open and knock enemies back. This move can be used in all events.

Sliding: While running, pressing the kick button will have the character slide on the ground. This slide kick can hit the opponent and also covers a lot of distance, so if a character is not fast enough the slide kick will get him ahead faster. This move can be performed in all events.

Spin Attack: This move is performed by landing from a jump and pressing the punch button. The character will perform a screw attack, they will somersault forward in a ball to hit the opponent. This move can only be performed in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Obu-obu Shot: To perform this move, the player needs to grab a weapon, then throw it while running. The weapon will float in place and move slowly. If it is touched by an opponent, they will be sent flying and take damage. This move can be performed in all events.

Hurricane: This is a running attack with a weapon. The character will spin into a ball with the weapon drawn, hitting enemies nearby. If a character is slow, this move will get them moving fast as well. The character has no lateral control with this move, unlike the Spin Attack, which can be controlled a bit. This move can be used in all events.

A team comprised mainly of fighters, with the exception of Yoshino. It is led by Kunio's eternal rival Riki. Yoshino is the team's runner, Riki, Saotome and Maeda are fighters, but Saotome is the second fastest runner in the team. Washio and Shimizu are weapon specialists. Riki's girlfriend Shimada is the team's manager and cheerleader.

Mach Punch: Riki's trademark technique, three rapid punches in rapid succession. It's properties are the same as the Mach Kick. It can only be used in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Tornado Punch: A rising uppercut, this move originated in Kunio-kun no Nekketsu Soccer League. After landing from a jump, the player presses the punch button. This move can hit multiple times. Characters can use this move in all four events.

Aura Punch / Dash Aura Punch: Though this are two separate moves, they are essentially the same move. The Aura Punch is performed by holding down the punch button, the attack will come out once it is fully charged (if the player releases the button, the move will be canceled). The sparkles that appear in front of the character while he is charging the punch can hit and juggle the opponent. The dash version of the move is performed by running, allowing the character to be mobile while performing the move, but they will stop once they throw out the punch. Both attacks can be performed in all events. A character using this move will have a slower punch animation, though they have a longer attack range in Cross Country and Obstacle Relay.

Burst Kick: A high speed knee attack, performed by landing from a jump and pressing the kick button. This move can be used to cover a lot of ground as the character advances forward very fast. The character also remains close to the ground. Like the Bomb Punch, this attack can be spammed, but the character cannot switch the direction of the attack if they continue to spam it. This move can only be performed in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Mach Stomping: This move allows the character to stomp a downed opponent really quickly. It is performed by pressing the kick button near an opponent who is knocked down. This move, much like the other Mach moves, allows players to easily gain points. This move can only be performed in Camphor Ball and Battle Royal.

Super Dash: If the player presses the directional button twice in the direction they are moving while running, the character will crouch for a few seconds. The character will then dash in that direction at high speed, stunning opponents that they run into. The character will get tired after running for a bit though. Once the character begins to sprint the player has not lateral control over the character and cannot cancel out the move (the CPU can cancel out of the move however). While running during this move, the character is also invulnerable to damage, a trick that the CPU exploits by canceling the move and climbing through an obstacle (which makes them invulnerable as well). The move can only be performed in Cross Country and Obstacle Relay.

Mach Bash: Another mach technique, this time with any equipped object. The character will swing the weapon three times rapidly. It can be performed while running or jumping. The only disadvantage of this move is that the character cannot unlock the benefits of a magic wand and worse, they cannot drink from any bottles. This makes it impossible for a character with the move to heal themselves during an event, as the move can be performed in all events.

Hurricane Crash: A special move with a bokken (wooden sword or stick), the character spins the weapon around him. This is performed by pressing the punch button while holding a bokken and similar weapons (not magic wands though). The move can be performed while running or jumping as well. The move can be performed in all events.

The strongest of the four host teams in the athletic meet, led by Dragon Twins. Together with Kobayashi and Mochizuki (both members of the Reihou Four Heavenly Kings) the team has four strong characters, with three of them being strong enough to be captains. Mochizuki is one of the fastest characters in the game, while the Dragon Twins and Kobayashi can be used in any competition. Hayasaka and Otonashi are both above average characters that supplement the team. The manager and cheerleader of this team is Aihara, a popular absent-minded introvert who was not really interested in the position.

School Union

A team comprised of students from multiple schools, led by Gōda of Horyou High School. Each member excels individually. Gōda is one of fastest characters in the team and has high defense, while Godai is an expert with weapons. Nishimura is slow but has high punching power and the highest vitality. Sawaguchi is meant to supplement the team and is an average character. Kumada is an average character with high throwing power and has the dangerous Human Torpedo. Though Hayami is weak, he has high speed and kicking power, so he can back up Gōda in Cross Country. The manager and cheerleader is Kirishima, a student of Houryou High School and a close friend of the Gōda siblings.

Shitennō

This team (named Reihou The Top 4 in the western versions of the game), is led by Kobayashi and is one of the host teams. It is comprised of the Four Heavenly Kings and two other members who are not really a part of that group. Because Kobayashi is the captain he gains +2 bonus on his stats, Mochizuki remains the same as in the original Reihou Academy team. All members have high stats while Aoki and Tomiyama are above average characters, Aoki is best in Camphor Ball and Tomiyama can back up Mochizuki in Cross Country. The team's manager and cheerleader is Tanoe, a cool girl with a poker face who is part of the academy's band club.

Unlockable Characters

Guest Characters

The game includes guest appearances from other franchises. They are all available from the start of the game in Team Registration on the PC version, but are DLC for the PS3. Of these characters listed below, only Akira is a playable character. All other characters are cheerleaders:

Akira and Ogasawara from the mangaHeaven's Runner Akira.

Boya, from two manga, Crows and Worst.

Super Sonico, the mascot of Nitroplus for the annual live music festival event "Nitro Super Sonico".

Poritan, from a Japanese PlayStation magazine.

Nekki, from Famitsu magazine.

Codes & Secrets

Music

The game has arranged music from the original game. It also includes arranged music from previous games. A lot of the music in the game (mostly fanfares) goes unused in the PC version. 32 of these tracks are available for players who purchase the Steam version of the game:

Opening Fanfare: Fanfare from the original game. Here it is used on the title screen before Nekketsu March, while in the original game with was used in the Technōs Japan, Corp. screen.

Passionate Fight: Default track for the Battle Royal event from the original game.

Personal Award Fanfare: Used in the original game when handing awards to a member of each team. It is unused in this game and is not part of the 32 tracks given on Steam (it is available in the game's sound test).

Youths Running Ahead: Default track for the Camphor Ball event from the original game.

Sisters' Theme: Used in the original game when selecting which tracks to use for each event (the screen with Kozuki Akane). It is used in this game's option mode and the create mode. It is the complete composition of the theme used in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari when speaking with Hasebe and Mami.

Sisters' Theme 2: Used in the original game when making settings for each event (the screen with Kazumi Hasebe).

Times Up: Track used in the original game when time runs out during an event.

Winning School's Fanfare: Used in the original game when the winning team is announced. It is unused in this game and is not part of the 32 tracks given on Steam (it is available in the game's sound test).

Version differences

Trivia

This is the second remake of Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai. Arc System Works previously released River City Super Sports Challenge for the Nintendo DS, though that game is not a sequel to Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari.

This game uses the River City name but the Kunio-kun characters and setting.

The game erroneously translates Gouda's school, Hōryu High School, to Takararyo High School.

This is currently the only Kunio-kun game released for the PlayStation 3.

This is the first Kunio-kun game released on Steam. River City Melee: Battle Royal Special and a spin-off and official sequel to River City Ransom, River City Ransom: Underground, were released years later and are the only Kunio-kun games on Steam.